Open Source software continues to grow in terms of acceptance. In fact, it has become the leader in software segments like cloud computing, mobile applications and enterprise mobility. That’s based on a survey sponsored by North Bridge Venture partners and conducted by Black Duck Software and the 451 Group.

Michael Skok, General Partner, North Bridge Venture Partners, said that there has been an important shift in people’s “view of OSS, focusing less on cost and more on how OSS can innovate and help create industries. Taken together with applications like mobile and enabled by cloud, we are entering an exciting new era of ‘Open Innovation on Demand,’ where not only can OSS innovate faster, it can be deployed immediately and consumed as a service from the cloud.”

Tim Yeaton, president and chief executive of Black Duck Software, said that “Automotive, mobile, financial services and IT services are rapidly adopting OSS, with nearly all incorporating cloud and mobile solutions. As we’ve come to expect, awareness of the competitive advantages enabled by open source technologies and methods is spreading rapidly.”

The report comes to three conclusions about the effect that Open Source is having on the software industry:

Open Source is the ‘fuel for innovation’. The report cites examples of Open Source being used in innovative products for big data, mobile applications and enterprise mobility.

Broad-scale adoption. Market share for Open Source software continues to grow, and unlike the original perception of Open Source, people most frequently now cite the quality of open source a principle reason for making their switch.

Cost-effective Investment. Investments in Open Source increased by nearly 50 percent in 2011 to $675 million. New software companies almost exclusively choose Open Source as the starting point for their ventures.